Automatic air line connection for semitrailers



D. H. DAVIS Aug. 30, 1932.

AUTOMATIC AIR LINE CONNECTION FOR SEMITRAILERS Filed April 6,' 1929 2Sheets-Sheet @dem j f @Z @V23 y A Aug. 30, 1932. D H DAVIS 1,874,918

AUTOMATIC AIR LINE CONNECTION FOR SEMITRAILERS Filed April s. 1929 2sheets-sheet 2 .Patented Aug.l 30, 1932 UNITED STATES ylafrlfzlarOrl-ICE f DUBBEL II. pAvIs, or EDGEETON, wIsCONsIN, AssIGNOE To-IIIOfIIwfAY TRAILER COM- PANY, OF EDGEETON, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OEWISCONSIN AUTOMATIC AIE LINE CONNECTION EOE sEMITEAILEEs `.Applicationled .April 6i, 1929. Serial N'O. 352,940.

The purpose of this invention is to provide means for automaticallycompleting or v breaking a fluid conduit connection between vehicleunits such as a tractor and trailer, effective by the coupling anduncoupling action respectively of said vehicles. It is also a specialobject of this invention to provide a fiuid conduit connection between atractor and semi-trailer extending co-axially through the swivelconnection between the vehicles. It consists in certain features andelements `of construction herein shown and described, Aas indicated bythe claims.

In the drawings :f-

Figure 1 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view through theswivel connection of a coupled tractor and-semi-trailer unit, embodyingmy invention,- with the king` pin operating lever omitted.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section taken substantially asindicated at line 2-2 on Figure 1, showing the lever bar for con--trolling the movement of the locking pin.

Figure 3 vis a fragmentary bottom view of the device. 4

Figure 4 is a fragmentary View taken as indicatedat line Ll--fLon Figure 2.

' The present invention is adapted for use in connection with vehicleunits consistingv of a tractor and semi-trailer swivelly .connectedtogether. The swivel connection preferably includes a fifth wheelstructure of the separable type in which the upper member is connectedto the trailer while the lower mem- 'in Patent No. 1,785,697, issuedDecember 16,

1930, but for the purpose of clarity this invention is shown in thedrawlngs with only fragmentary portions of the fifth wheel, and

as indicated, 10 represents theupper fifth coupling relation when thevehicles are to be connected together as a unit.

The swivel connection for the fifth wheel'v members, includes atwo-piece'king pin, consisting of a sleeve, 13, and a pin, 14,vertically movable in said sleeve and supported by the upper fifth wheelmember. The sleeve, 13, depends' from the underside of. and is rigidlysecured to the upper fifth wheel member by a pair of retaining plates,15, engaging in a groove, 16, formed in the upper end of said sleeve, asshown inthe drawings. The lower end of the sleeve is formed with anannular projecting flange, 17, which is adapted to be positioned in achamber, 18, formed in the lower fifth wheel member, when said membersare coupled together. i It will ,be understood that the lower fifthwheel member, 11, is provided withthe usual V-groove or slot indicatedat 19 leading into the chamber, 18, to permit said-sleeve .with thepin,14, to lbe moved intoY axial position therein. The upper surface, 20, ofthe chamber, 18,

'serves as a stop for thevannular flange, 17, to

prevent vertical separation of the/'fifth wheel members; lateralseparation of said members being prevented by the lower end of the pin,I4, which extends downwardly into and partially through an opening, 21formed in con tive rotation of said fifth wheel member-s.

l The'pin, 14, may be moved at will into and out 4 of its bearingopening, 21, under'the guidance of sleeve, 13, by any suitable controllinkage and levers and as fragmentarily shown in Figures 2 and 4, alever arm, 23, `of inverted U-cross section, is formed with bosses, 24,on the inner sides thereof, providing journal support for a pivotpin,`25, which extends horizontally-through the upper end of pin, 14,and is a drive fit therein. The movable in, 14, is cut back at 26 toprovide proper earing support for the pin, 25, and for assuringcompactness of construction. It will be understood that the lever arm,23, is pivoted for 4actuation of the pin, 14, and that said lever ismoved vertically as more fully described in said Helms Patent No. 1,785,697 on its pivot in an automatic manner; so that when the fifth wheelmembers are to be uncoupled the pin is raised by said lever, 23, untilits lower 'end is clear of its bearing opening, 21, in the lower fifthwheelv member, so. that the sleeve, 13, is free'to be drawn through 18,the pin, 14, is projected downwardly into locking position in theopening, 21, for securing the fifth wheel members together lin coupledrelation, a's shown in Figure 2.

In vehicle units of the type described, it is desirable for variouspurposes to interconnect certain fluid actuated mechanism carried by onevehicle to mechanism on the other vehicle, such as, for example,mechanism operating the air brakes on the semi-trailer from a powersource lon the tractor, and for this purpose I provide a novelconstruction wherein the connection of the fluid conduits ofthe vehiclesis effected automatically upon the completion of the coupling action ofthe vehicles. able king pin, y14, is provided withan axial bore orpassageway, 30, merging into a transverse axial bore, 31, formedsubstantially concentrically in the pivot pin, 25, which bore, 31, opensat one end of said pin at which end a nipple, 32, is threaded therein;said nipple being connected to a coupling, 33, of a conductor, 33aleading 'rearwardly on the trailer for suitable connection to theoperating mechanism. The lower end of the passageway, 30, iscounterbored to form a seat for a4 gasket, 34. The gasket proper. may beof any suitable material, such as of rubber, and is mounted on a metaltube or fluid conductor, 35, against itsl flared end, 36, and isyieldingly urged in an upward direction in contact with the counterboredport ymouth of the passageway, 30, by a coiled tension spring,l37,interposed between a washer, 38, engaging the underside of the gasket,and an inwardly extending circular shoulder, 39, of an annular In theconstruction shown, the movnipples, 42,'and 43, and coupling, 44,to aflex1- ble fluid conductor, 45, to form a complete conduit or passagewayfor the fluid from the conductor, 45, (which may lead from a suitableAfluid source on the tractor) to the conductor, L33a, on the trailer forconnection to then brake-actuating mechanism.

adjacent its lower end with a laterally extending flange, 48, to theunderside of which is secured an upper race, 49, for anti-frictionrollers, 50, with which cooperate a lower race, 51. The entireanti-friction unit is carried in a cup-shape retainer, 52, which has anintegral upwardly extending web, 53,y merged into a supporting flange,54, which'is secured to theV underside of the lower fifth wheel memberby two'l machine screws, 55. A driving sleeve, 57 ,iis slidably mountedon the sleeve, 40, having an annular chamber, 58, formed therein to seata coil tension spring, 59, against the upper surface of the flange, 48,which spring yieldingly urges a pair of diametrically oppov site drivinglugs, 60, formedintegrally on the upper surface of sleeve, 57, in meshwith grooves, 61, provided in the lower end of the movable king pin, 14.O,Said sleeve, 57, is provided with upright, laterally offset ribs, 62,depending below the cup, 52, in yoke formation for straddling the leg,41, of the tubular A conductor, 35. D l

Thus, since the movable king pin, 14, is arranged to rotate vin itssleeve, 13, by the relative swivelling of thetrailer to the tractor, thegasket member, 34, is yieldingly maintained in perfect seal with thecounterbored port ofthe bore, 30, during all positionsof the tractor andtrailer, due to the driving connection between the king pin and thedriving sleeve, 57, by means of which'the entire tubular conductor, 35,is turnedy as a unit with said king pin, 14thus swinging the flexiblecon'- The annular guide sleeve, 40, is provided lll gular movement ofthe tractor and trailer by not register perfectly with the grooves, 61,

capable off certain variations and modifications without departing fromthe spirit and sco e thereof. I do not thereforerwish to be un erstoodas limiting the invention tothe specific form shown and described,excepting as indicated by the claims.

I claim:

1. In .a vehicfe comprising a tractor 'and a semi-trailer with a fifthwheel forv pivotally connecting them'together, said-connec tionincluding a king pin carried by o'ne of the fifth wheel members adaptedyto be .en-r

ga ed-with the other in coupling` assembly a uid conduit includingseparate fiuid conductorsfor the tractor and trailer respectively, saidking pin being provided with a passageway extending therethrough withone of the conductors permanently connected to king pin and openlngthrough the end thereof one end of said passageway, means co-operatingwith the other conductor for automatically connecting it detachably withthe other end of the king pin passageway in coupling the fifth wheelmembers, together with means for rotating said cooperating means and aportion ofthe det-achably connected conductor with the king pin duringrelative pivotal movement of the tractor and trailer'to ensure positiveconnection of the conductor to the king pin passageway at allcoupledpositions of saidtractor and trailer.

2. In a vehicle .comprising a tractor and a semi-trailer with a fifthwheel for pivotally connecting' them together, said connection in#cluding a king pin carried by one of the fifth wheel members adapted tobe engaged with the other in coupling assembly, a fluid conduitincluding separate fiuid conductors for the tractor and trailerrespectively; said'king pin being provided with a passageway extendingtherethrough with one of the conductors permanently connected to one endof said passageway, means co-operating with the other conductor forautomatically connecting it detachably with the other'end of the kingpin passageway in coupling the fifth wheel members, said .co-operatingmeans being provided with a driving member detachably engageable withthe king pin for turning said cooperating means with the king pin duringthe relative pivotal movements of the tractor and trailer.

3. In a vehiclecomprising a tractor andl connecting them together, saidconnection including a king pin carried by one of the fifth wheelmembers adapted to be engaged with, the other in coupling assembly, afluid conduit including separate fluid conductors for the tractor andtrailer respectivelysaid king pin being provided with a passagewayextending therethrough with one of the iconductors permanently connectedto one end of said passageway, means co-ope`rating with the otherconductor for automatically con- -necting it detachably with the otherend of' the king pin passageway in coupling th` fifth wheel members,said co-operating means including a detachable driving connection withthe king pin and an extension armengaging the adjacent portion of thedetachable conductor for rotating the same with saidwhich engages in thesocket, and a seat carried by the socket member in registration with thesocket, and having a passageway disposed to register with that of theking pin ,when the v latter is disposed in coupling position, a supportfor. said seat carried bythe socket memer and arranged to press the seatyieldingly against the end of the king pin, together with ananti-friction bearing by which said seat is carried rotatably on saidsupport, with means interlocking the seat with the king pin when theparts are thus engaged, and a flexible fluid conduit leading to the seatadapted to permit rotation of said seat with the king pinrelatively tothe socket member of the coupling. 5. In combination with yafifthwlieelfor coupling a tractor and a semi-trailer and com'- prisingtwo members carried by the vehicles respectively, including a king pinassociated with one member and a socket for said king pin in the othermember, a fluid conduit comprising a.V passage extending longitudinally1n the king pin and opening through the end in substantially axialalignment with the kingv pin inthe socket, a spring resting on saidbearing, a conduit of tubing having one end formed with a seat to engagethe end of the king pin at its opening, said spring serving to upholdsaid seat for vcontact with the king pin, al second spring `also restingonusaid v bearing, and-a. clutch member upheld by said Asecond springagainst the end of the king pin, said clutch member and king pin havinginter-engaging features for positive connec-` tion, and an arm on theclutch member engaging a laterally trending portion of the tubing forswinging the latter with the 4king pin when 'said king pin turns in thesocket.d

6. In thecombination defined in claim 5,

said clutch member having a depending sleeve portion co-aXial with theking pin,` and a guide sleeve telescopic'all'y engaging said p0rtionwith a transverse Wall interposed between the anti-friction bearing andthe lower ends of the two springs for seating and positioning saidsprings. DUBBEL H. DAVIS.

